Dreams are my reality
by ilovegreen007
Summary: When the girl she's been seeing in her dreams isn't just a figment of her imagination but an actual person who knows her-claims to have an extensive history with her. In the setting of a psych ward with Chloe Beale as the psychologist and Rebecca Doe as the delusional patient, Chloe's world of certainty is turned upside down leaving her questioning who the crazy one really is.
1. Chapter 1

_Say you'll remember me_

 _Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe_

 _Red lips and rosy cheeks_

 _Say you'll see me again even it's just in your wildest dreams_

 _In your wildest dreams_

* * *

You ever have one of those dreams where you see someone, the same someone, over and over?

Chloe has and it's become vaguely unsettling the number of times she's seen this one particular person.

But what's more worrisome, if not freaky is she dreams of a faceless person. Not really faceless, she sees features sometimes one at a time; eyes a dark almost navy blue, hair dark chocolatey brown, and it was a woman always a woman with a smile- a smirk really- that would thug at her stomach and a silky voice that would speed up her heart.

As the way with dreams, she had zero control over any of the circumstances behind them but so far she had no complaints as they seemed to work in her favor, for her dream stranger would appear always in the most romantic fantasy settings, like straight out of the classic movies.

She thinks most likely her being an extreme movie buff brought out and heavily influenced those types of dreams. She loved everything from Casablanca to Doctor Zhivago, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Gone with the Wind to name a few.

In these dreams Chloe experienced being part of simiilar grand gestures with equally grand backdrops.

 _She said let's get out of this town_

 _Drive out of the city_

 _Away from the crowds_

She saw herself on a monoplane heading off towards the sunset. If she were an artist-a painter of some sort she'd attempt to capture the moment in a vibrant hue of red and orange, burning like the leftover heat, the coursing wind, feeling it in the eyes trained on hers, intently soaking up her every reaction, in the corresponding warmth spilling across her cheeks.

Once she was on a gondola in Venice, the air cool and calm in the early evening. Dream stranger attempts Italian, butchers it really, when she tries singing along to the delight of the gondolier and the redhead's embarrassment. (Saved only by her heavenly, velvety, warm, smooth, melted caramel and every delicious sugary sweet candy of a voice)

 _XxX_

 _I thought heaven can't help me now_

 _Nothing lasts forever_

 _But this is gonna take me down_

 _XxX_

She recalls following the brunette's lead running hand in hand, nearly tripping on her white dress' train before stopping then kissing under the Eiffel tower.

Riding off on a moped around Rome. Her front pushed to a warm back. Her arms securely wrapped around a slim waist, occasionally brushing brown hair from a nape to press little kisses.

Making love on an abandoned beach to the crashing of the ocean waves.

 _I can see the end as it begins, my one condition is..._

 _Say you'll remember me_

 _Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe_

 _Red lips and rosy cheeks_

 _XxX_

 _S_ uch extravagant events should excite anybody but they were just dreams, impressive and large and her every fantasy come alive though they may be, but still unreal.

 _Say you'll see me again even if it's just pretend_

 _XxX_

It wasn't just the girl's features, or even the romantic set up that affected Chloe most, it was the way she'd feel, safe and the happiest and most content she'd ever remembered feeling in a long time.

It would or could almost be considered pathetic how that was perhaps the strangest and strongest reaction she'd ever come close to feeling about someone, anyone really, and from a dream someone no less.

Sometimes, when she allows herself to think crazy thoughts, she considers the possibility of her real life being this one long uneventful dream, and that her dreams were in fact real.

She considers that sadly, if it were so, she'd gladly trade her dreams, choose them over her reality.

Chloe shouldn't be scared. She'd actually know if she was going crazy. She was a licensed psychologist after all. She had no mental disorder-that she knew of. And it was perfectly normal to have vivid dreams.

Dreams were mere distractions, temporary breaks, a rest from daily life. The brains' way of rewiring itself, of cataloging memories, events, feelings. They were fully fleshed out wish fulfillments showing behind our lids nightly.

It was harmless really, what wasn't was the unhealthy obsession she had with placing the girl to a name. Like her face, the girl's name evaded her...but Chloe was sure she knew her. No way she could have such repressed memories or fantasies about someone she'd never met, or at least seen before.

Was she a model, an actress, a historical figure?

A classmate, a friend from long ago, a lover?

Chloe would remember she had a knack for remembering faces- names not so much. That's why it bothered her so. With the face being obscured and that feeling, of knowing she knew of this girl..but the how and the what and the why hovered just beyond her reach, always at the tip of her tongue.

And her obsession was slowly creeping, leaking into her waking hours-no matter it was unintentional but Chloe found herself holding her real life dating adventures to these unrealistic standards.

It was truly pathetic showcasing just how lonely she felt that she had to make do as nothing in real life seemed to foot the bill. Every single date she'd recall she'd ever been on never could measure up, couldn't recreate or even give her a fraction of what she had felt in these dreams.

Restlessness settled upon her waking hours consumed by the ever present feeling that she was just passing time, that she had already lived out the best part of her life. And that she had to content herself with mere dreaming of her dreamgirl as it would be unlikely someone like that would or could ever exist.

* * *

Chloe's body is damp with sweat, her breaths coming in short, sharp bursts, she can't seem to get enough air. She can't _breathe_ , she thinks. Her head is throbbing and her eyes, her vision is failing her. Still, she forces her lids to open, to focus on the brunette in front of her. Whose blue eyes are wet, and pained. A warm, trembling hand reaches for Chloe's. The girl's anguished voice cries out, adding only to the pain already wracking her body.

 _"Please, please God...please don't-Don't leave me."_  
 _"I won't." Chloe whispers._

 _"But you will, " the voice returns, "You did."_

* * *

Chloe wakes up with an apology on her tongue. And a heavy feeling weighing on her chest.

That wasn't the usual frolicking in the woods, happy go lucky, endless light and laughter setting she was used to. It scared her...this felt too real, felt like it could be a memory, a different time- a different life, was this were everything came to its abrupt halt. Would her reality catch up to her only mode of escape?

There was no more sleeping after that. She best be getting ready for the day ahead of her. She had to psych herself big time after that is she was going to make it.

The atmosphere upon waking was no different, a dreary one if she she did see one. Lightning flashed across the sky, the thunder rolled in, along with heavy rain beating harshly against the redhead on her way to the office. Said office was the psychiatric ward in St. John's where they provided medium term care specializing in rehabilitation and stabilization for patient's with a range of illnesses varying from depression, to eating disorders to mental disorders.

She hums happy upbeat songs in contrast to all of it, almost in direct rebellion. Starting of with Us the Duo's 'No Matter Where You Are", Avicii's 'Waiting for Love'

but what was most fitting was Glee's Singing in the rain/Umbrella mashup.

 _I'm singin' in the rain (We'll shine together)_  
 _Just singin' in the rain (We'll be forever)_  
 _What a glorious feeling And I'm happy again (Stick it out 'til the end)_

Another rainy day classic was Mariah Carey's Make It Through The Rain she gets carried away and before she knows it she's belting along.

 _And when the wind blows_

 _And shadows grow close_  
 _Don't be afraid_  
 _There's nothing you can't face_

 _And should they tell you_

 _You'll never pull through_  
 _Don't hesitate, stand tall and say_

 _I can make it through the rain_  
 _I can stand up once again_  
 _On my own and I know_  
 _That I'm strong enough to mend_  
 _And every time I feel afraid_  
 _I hold tighter to my faith_  
 _And I live one more day_  
 _And I make it through the rain_  
 _I can make it through the rain_  
 _And stand up once again_  
 _And I'll live one more day and I_  
 _I can make it through the rain_  
 _Oh yes you can_  
 _Oh your gonna make it through the_  
 _Rain_

Chloe makes her way to the hospital in record time, slipping into the building, grateful for the cover under the heavy downpour. Her spirits are high, not to be deterred by anything, not the weather, not the long day or week ahead (it was a Monday) already armed with her usual order of Starbucks Cafe Americano.

Chloe just has a feeling about this day. She wasn't sure yet if it was a good one or a bad one though everything else, the weather etc, were leaning towards the latter-but there was something just on the brink of happening something that was in the air. Something building, a huge and monumental incoming force far stronger and disastrous than the freak storm, she feels it prickling along her skin like static, she feels hardwired and electric. It felt familiar. Something that felt like utmost inevitability, like fate would deal it's hand.

Chloe's heart thuds hard, speedily in anticipation.

* * *

But she's a tad bit let down when her day goes by rather uneventful. Predictable. As per routine.

As usual, she heads to her office and settles in for the day. She follows up on each of her patient's, checking in on their treatment, their progress. She chats with them at a length about their day, sometimes their lives outside the hospital, before she dismisses them, finishing her notes then filling away their progress reports before she repeats the process for the next one.

She grabs lunch with her two best friends Aubrey and Stacie right on the dot; twelve thirty.

She orders a salad and some variation of a sandwich. (Today: ham and cheese)

"What did the ham and cheese sandwich ever do to you?" Stacie asks tearing Chloe away from her musings.

"Aside from the fact that its unappealing, it's inedible." Chloe answers, wrinkling her nose as she tears at the crust.

Stacie pinches a piece and pops it into her mouth, "It's fine, a bit on the dry side but..definitely edible." She wipes her hand on a napkin, " though I'd understand getting sick of any type of sandwich if I ordered the same thing every single day. Why don't you spice it up a little, have a pizza every once in a while, a burger or God forbid something not on bread, pasta perhaps? You have to live life on the edge, on the flip side for once. Fuck the norm, fuck routine. Am I right?" She says chuckling, turning to Aubrey expecting her to join in on the usual Chloe-teasing-sessions they both enjoyed participating in immensely. You inwardly snort. Not this time. Aubrey was as set in her ways as you. Set on order, routine. She was teetering on the edge of being OCD, organized to a point; pretty useful as head of their wing and like everything she managed it perfectly. Stacie had better luck making a stubborn mule or even a mountain budge than Aubrey when it came to extreme change.

"Oh wait I forgot who I was talking to for a second there. Queen uptight the first and Princess stick in the mud. I seriously don't know how we all ended up becoming besties."

"Without us you'd still be stuck in your wayward ways, currying favors from and to professors to pass their subjects. Chloe and I showed you that other than the obvious, your brain could also be your most attractive asset." Aubrey retorts without malice, surfacing long enough from her self-exile of being surrounded by stack upon stack of paperwork, to spare a sparse smile and a backhanded compliment.

"She still needs reminding from time to time." Chloe chimes in, softly teasing. Stacie scoffs but a relenting smile appears.

"And Aubrey, it's called a lunch break for a reason, you take lunch during your break. Or you can choose to do either of the two but you're doing neither. No break, no lunch. I don't see them changing the name to reading-patient's-records-while-pretending-to eat-during-break just for you.

"Brava." Stacie exclaims delightedly. Chloe gives a mock bow in return. Aubrey sighs a tired adult sigh, ignoring their antics.

"I need to stay on top of my game here, Guys."

"You're already at the top, or can you think if a higher position other than chief of the psych ward." Stacie answers.

"Hmm." Aubrey hums out in reply, already distracted.

The two exchange a glance, an unspoken agreement, finally nodding to each other before moving quickly, Stacie moving Aubrey's untouched tray before pinning her arms as Chloe lunges and grabs at the folder currently absorbing Aubrey's attention. Aubrey's quick to react holding on tightly, but the redhead isn't yet put off not while her death grip is still intact. The two struggle for a moment.

"Let go. You'll rip the files" Aubrey hisses.

"I'm careful, I know what I'm doing, I have very lithe, skillful fingers." Chloe winks,

"Ew- Chlo." Aubrey groans, half-laughs while Stacie smirks.

"They'll be in the right hands-in fact, I'll show you exactly how skillful they are-." Chloe says before jamming her hands to Aubrey's tickle spot by her ribs. Aubrey tries to wiggle away, yelping, snorting in the process she finally loosens her grip enough allowing Stacie time to get the file.

"You people don't fight fair."

Stacie shrugs. "You left us no choice." she says seriously, "So will you eat? We'll return them when you've grabbed a bite…"

"You know as your boss I could fire you."

"As one of your dearest, bestest friends I could counter with 'I was only performing my duty.' Also I'd like to state making sure the chief doesn't starve or develop an ulcer is unlawful grounds for termination. I should think it would warrant a reward, a promotion maybe. "

"So what's up why don't you share with us what has you so intrigued? So you won't be alone in your obsession."

"Some girl.."

"Words I though I'd never get to hear you say."

"Ooh I knew you'd hope along the lady loving lady wagon sooner or later." Stacie kids, Aubrey doesn't take the bait continuing undeterred.

" _Patient_."

"You're worse than I thought. " Stacie continues teasing Aubrey, "Man it's the nice uptight ones you got to look out for. Aubrey when you choose to go bad you take it to the next level."

"It's a difficult patient. Delusional disorder. Three months with no progress. She was referred to us from another hospital. The girl is in and out."

"What kind of delusional?"

"Paperwork show her to be leaning towards erotomanic, grandiose types. The one's who referred her couldn't get anything out of her, she was unresponsive-almost comatose; She hasn't spoken to anyone for several weeks now. I went to see for myself first before coming to a conclusion and coming up with a course of treatment. But nothing...and that's where I was hoping you'd come in, use your Chloe Beale Magic that you're known for. You always had a way with the patient's. The worst ones even take a liking to you.."

"Well I do like a challenge "Chloe chimes in, trying not to blush at Aubrey's rare, extravagant praise. Chloe feels herself getting into game mode.

"Good. And yes I was just about to do a follow-up consult with you present."

"Of course, send her in whenever you're ready, What's her name by the way?"

"Rebecca Doe."

"What's her story?"

"What happened to No-work during our too short breaks?" Stacie interrupts, tired of being ignored even for a couple of seconds. Chloe pats Stacie's hand consolingly.

"Any family history of mental illness?" Stacie inquires.

"That's what's odd, she had nothing no previous records…"

They are interrupted by approaching neurosurgeon Doctor Swanson.

"Doctor Posen. I thought to come see you instead for Mr. Steinfield's consultation.

"Oh- I almost forgot. I was just-" Though from the frantic look on her face Aubrey may have very well forgotten, even if for a moment.

Aubrey stands abruptly, her movement tipping over the tray holding their drinks into Stacie's plate still full with her favorite potato salad.

Chloe and Stacie manage to contain the mess, Aubrey takes lead- quickly makes work out of cleaning up, managing to save her files. She piles them on top the other, balancing them precariously, "I've got to go for a consult."She says pink faced and embarrassed, voice tight. Chloe smiles understanding, sympathetic. (Aubrey had been secretly crushing on the "Dreamy' surgeon for months now.)

"The neurosurgeon and the psychologist" Stacie says, "What a pair you two make." Stacie and Chloe don't miss simultaneous blushing from both their friend and Doctor Swanson.

Aubrey shakes her head slightly, glaring at Stacie,

"Well you better get going. Brains to save and all." Chloe says.

"Yeah, we better. Chloe, Stacie I'll see you both around." Doctor Swanson says flashing his boyish grin, at the two.

Aubrey's cheeks darken as Jesse-Doctor Swanson offers to carry some folders and takes all of them from her.

"Wait Jes-I mean, Doctor Swanson, lemme get that one folder." she extricates the thick folder that she and Chloe were looking through just seconds ago.

"Here I'll leave her file." Aubrey says hurrying, already half-walking away "You can thoroughly browse through it though there's not much else to go on. So you'll just get to see for yourself later."

"Bitch you owe me a salad."Stacie calls out to Aubrey's fast retreating figure

"So consultation. That's what they're calling it these days..." Stacie murmurs later on.

"What's 'it'?"

"Sex."

"Maybe it's just a literal consultation. He asks for her opinion about Mr. Steinfield." Chloe responds. "They consult one another, bounce ideas of each other, some back and forth, meeting of minds etc."

"What about meeting of parts?" Stacie asks her tone innocent, her expression filthy. Chloe laugh inspite of herself.

"Not everything has to involve sex Stace-"

"Speak for yourself. You may have gone all tame and such but you must admit don't you miss a little excitement? Sometimes I feel like we're missing out, with our crazy schedules and being surrounded by patients 24/7. We need to grab what we can get. Aubrey's getting there. Just because we're older and have jobs and all doesn't mean we need to get all boring. Leave me to my fantasy match making vices, God knows-it's the most action we'll get."

Stacie voices so well so much of Chloe's own feelings in her brief rant.

"Yes. I do miss it." she whispers and it's all she can do not to outwardly cry.

* * *

"Doctor Beale, your next patient is here to see you. " Amy, (she insists on being called 'Fat Amy' which Chloe adamantly refuses) Chloe's receptionist's voice calls out through the intercom. "She's been here for a while actually, didn't even notice her 'cos she was super quiet-way _way_ quiet. She scares me, reminds me of an Asian roommate of mine. I don't think she's Aisan, but she is very small." Amy continues attempting at whispering (she fails-her voice can be heard even outside of the intercom)

"Sure, good to know . You can let her in Amy. Is Chief Posen there?"

"She's running late into her consultation with Mr-Boy-Next-Door, perhaps you know whatting behind that closed door."

"Amy." Chloe chides "Okay just let her in when she arrives." she buzzes out-there's a knock on the door not too long after.

Chloe sits up straight, smoothens her dress takes a breath, plasters on an engaging smile before-

"Come in."

The door opens and Chloe stands up to greet them.

For all her feelings about today, She's unprepared for what transpires as soon as the two girls enter; one blonde the other brunette.

"This is Rebecca." Amy says,

"Beca" Chloe hears herself and the girl chorus in correction. Everything seems to happen all at once, Chloe's eyes quickly catches on the brunette's own, colored with pleasure and delighted surprise- the shade a tad bit too familiar. Everything actually, the way they sparkle along with the smile that it pulls- falls into place.

It was her.

Chloe's dream girl.

It was all too apparent, clear and familiar and far too real. She wasn't supposed to exist and yet Chloe is winded by how her mind and body, every part of her is confirming almost screaming in agreement, knowing "yes exactly like that yes...that how it should've been." the puzzle completed.

Chloe releases a choked gasp and the girl- _Beca_ -is suddenly tense, body alerted, also starts, stares while Chloe is scrambling for something to say.

Something, _anything_ to fill the too long silence. But it's the brunette, Beca who's mouth drops open before she releases a single sound.

"Chloe?"

* * *

Author's Note: So...I'm back. Sorry that took a while-worked on this, a while back had this little idea same time I started wrting 'Never Know" and " The Trouble with." I lost most of what I had written after I didn't edit the document in doc manager w/i the 90 days and I had no other copy, but yeah bumps and tribulations aside ...it's finally here. Wildest dreams by Taylor Swift featured heavily but like I said I saw this all in my head before that song came out so it was a nice surprise to find something that suited the story so well. and yeah dreams-a little bit of a favorite to write about. SO tell me what you think. Don't worry if you're still on board with me in this ship..I am going to finish all my stories.


	2. Chapter 2

_Previously on Dreams are my reality:_

 _Chloe releases a choked gasp and the girl, Beca, is suddenly tense, body alerted, also starts, stares while Chloe is scrambling for something to say._

 _Something, anything to fill the too long silence as Amy looked bemusedly between them both. But it's the brunette, Beca whose mouth drops open before she releases a single sound, her first for months._

 _"Chloe?"_

* * *

"Chloe?" the girl, Beca, repeats in that melodic tone, voice now hoarse, hopeful, eyes wet.

The redhead's still caught up with the fact that she _knew_ her too, apparently. The girl's eyes trace over her own features, her whole body warms and prickles at the intensity, the familiarity, the longing reflected deep in their depths. Recognition is written all over her expression.

Chloe, aware that Amy is standing hopping from foot to foot, thanks her assistant and asks her to hold all calls for the afternoon. Amy backed out of the room, looking confused and as if she wanted to say something, but noting the earnest look on Chloe's face, she did as she was asked but left the door open a foot or so.

Chloe turned back to Beca, wondering what to say, to break through the intense, thick atmosphere that suddenly descended over the room.

She moves so swiftly Chloe doesn't even have time to react as she's hugged to the girl tightly. Chloe feels her shaking through the desperate embrace and it takes a split second to realise the brunette's full out crying into her arms, taking deep wet gasps in her ears, thus leaving her pinned to this supposed complete stranger, her own heart pounding, feeling all kinds of breathless.

Beca's a mess. Chloe has to work hard discerning what she was trying to say. Her words giving way to wet gasps and hiccups as she tried in vain to calm down.

"Thank God ... you're alive. I found you! You've come back to me …" Beca calms down just long enough to say, her hot breaths in Chloe's ear causing goosebumps to spread all over the redhead's arms.

It's _too_ much for Chloe to handle in that split second, the gravity of all this, the fact that she's real, that she's _here_ , in her arms, albeit crying, and those words she let go, they made _no_ sense.

Chloe reacts mostly out of shock; some parts fear and nervousness, and shoves her off with a force that takes them both by surprise. Beca lands with an oomph on her bottom.

"Woah, careful there boss." Chloe hears Amy urgently call out from her desk out in the reception area. But Chloe's more than distracted.

The shock that in turn flickers across Beca's face is shaded by something else. She looks hurt, pained even, and not just in a physical sense. It's what makes Chloe move, the redhead quickly recovering, mentally chastising herself for what she just had done.

"I'm _so_ sorry." she says deliberately slowly, wanting more than anything for Beca to hear how genuinely she meant it, crouching low before offering up a hand.

The brunette eyes the hand uncertainly, the moment their eyes meet however, something flickers there, some inherent, unwavering trust.

"You took me by surprise is all, I don't normally get such an enthusiastic reception from my patients." Chloe says trying some humor, trying to alleviate the situation, wanting more than anything to take the last few seconds back, to put Beca at ease. The corresponding twinkle, the slight twitch to her lips makes it entirely worth it, makes Chloe ... dare she use the word ... _giddy_ inside.

"Yeah, that was a way too eager greeting Beca..." Fat Amy admonishes almost like to a hyperactive pet who'd jumped up at a guest. Amy was watching the exchange from the slightly ajar door. "And lo and behold, she _can_ speak."

Both girls ignore Amy's comment and her presence, fully consumed by one another.

Beca finally takes her hand, and Chloe tries gently pulling her up. It doesn't stop them from nearly ending up on top of the other; standing toe to toe, once again sharing the same close space. Chloe tells herself it's the momentum, the blood rushing to her head from rising quickly that makes her head light. The redhead holds the brunette's hand a beat longer, squeezing it almost in another apology, for not knowing, for not remembering her outside of her dreams.

Beca eventually is the one that lets go though she looks a bit hesitant to do so.

Chloe's brows are slightly furrowed while an otherwise practiced calm expression settles across her features, the crease between her brows the only give away that inside she's freaking out, racking her brain trying to figure things out.

There's too many questions, but mostly she's trying to get a clear read on Beca. The brunette no longer looks to want to jump her, but her dark blue eyes search Chloe's own eagerly, _hungrily_ almost.

Chloe's trying to segway, detach from her friendly demeanor and ease into her professional one but her curiosity keeps getting the best of her.

"So you already know me, I'm Doctor Chloe Beale, your psychologist, and you're Miss Beca, aren't you?"

Whatever temporary calm had settled over Beca, disappears entirely.

"You...really don't...know me? You can't be serious, Chlo." Beca responds incredulously, angrily even. Instead of responding immediately, Chloe gets hung up on the most random detail ... perhaps she's still in a bit of shock. After all Beca just called her _Chlo_ , a nickname only the closest of her friends and family used. It gives her such pleasure, she doesn't know why. It sounds familiar, natural coming from her. And yet Beca had no business being familiar with her, the only name that should be using is Doctor.

"I do apologize Beca, it's very embarrassing but I'm at a disadvantage here because your face seems familiar and you know me, but I'm coming up blank with you. If you could maybe remind me how we know each other." Chloe trails off as Beca's entire body collapses, but it's her eye that catches Chloe's attention, radiating with defeat mixed with something akin to extreme anguish.

She makes Chloe doubt herself and everything that's going on even more. She's half convinced she had dozed off sometime ago and just needed to be woken.

"This is some fucked up nightmare come to life, I mean what the hell, Chloe." Beca says, rubbing her hand forcefully over her face before she brings it forcefully into the nearest surface, the wall in a hard slap. She leans her forehead on the wall muttering to herself.

The redhead distinguishes a couple of swear words. Mostly it's, "Crap. Crap. Crap." repeated over and over again her fist pounding in time.

Chloe sees Amy out of the corner of her eye (still situated near the entrance) already in alert pose, sees her trying to subtly signal if she needed to go get some help.

Chloe raises her hand in a 'wait' gesture. Amy gestures at herself, before miming putting Beca in a chokehold.

Chloe shakes her head harshly. She had no time for Amy's antics.

"Please tell me you're joking." Beca says raising her head to look at Chloe, her eyes bloodshot, heavy with the tears she isn't shedding, exasperation coloring her tone.

She'd started moving closer again, every time she does Chloe backs up, till she was backed up against her own desk. She's reaching for a button just in case it was needed to call in security. Her gut tells her it won't be necessary though training has taught her to be ready for anything.

"What, why would I do that? This is a serious matter."

Beca laughs but before long Chloe realises that Beca had also started crying again, she feels a responding tightness in her chest, allows herself to soften to break character and do something that actually felt right. She beckons Beca over; Chloe doesn't recall if she spoke or Beca just read her face or even her mind to know when she finally surrendered. The brunette throws herself without hesitation into the redhead's arms, arms that Chloe this time offers, that she doesn't hesitate to open, to a hug, to contact that she fully, finally brunette's quivering frame, settles in against hers completely at home. The second time, once Chloe had gotten past the initial shock of contact ... her body now welcomes, almost rejoices, in Beca's completely. Warm, soft and very real.

Chloe feels her heart speed and slow, simultaneously syncing with her patient's. She feels it again, the calm.

She blinks, and the image is gone, she sees Beca unmoved from her place, desperately trying to get a hold of her crying.

The hug hadn't happened. But her reaction to it was just as strong as if it had her first instinct had been to comfort Beca. It had created such a visceral reaction ... it has felt real, like the right course of action to take, even as she watches Beca try to get a hold of herself, Chloe feels way too keenly disappointment and longing to have done just that, feeling her stomach churning, her heart heavy, the very feeling of going against her better nature, like what she should've done.

Oh god. She was _so_ not equipped to deal with this.

This is the first time in a long time she's caught unaware, fully flustered in any situation, especially not here in the four walls of her office. This was her dominion. This was where she exerted control. And yet she can't seem to do so, with everything feeling very much out of it.

She can't answer the Why? the How? the Where? the What the hell is going on here?

Nothing about protocol or procedure comes to mind for treating Beca, not when she too is caught up in whatever reality Beca's in, should she be worried for herself. No, it's never about herself always the patient. The patient, Beca who, despite the fire, the fury coating her eyes, still looks to her like she was something dear and beloved, like someone who held all the secrets of the universe.

It was humbling, exciting, and frightening all at once and it leaves Chloe wanting, almost inherently needing to tell Beca about the dreams.

About how she did know her in an entirely ambiguous sense. How everything that had transpired between them felt familiar, like some sort of continuation to something entirely beyond her, but as soon as she thinks it, she pushes it violently away. That was just inappropriate. She shouldn't share about her personal life, she shouldn't even be thinking of Beca other than that as her new patient.

Her patient. Beca is her patient she has to remind herself forcefully. The same time she accepts one reality her mind opposes with another heavier one.

It's time she took real control of the situation.

She tries to get in the right track with the brunette, "Why don't you take a seat?" she says gesturing towards the comfy armchair directly in front of her desk. "Let's discuss this properly. You say you know me, so do you care to share the particulars?"

"Let's say I know everything there is to know about you almost in a biblical sense. We go way back, you and me."

"Let's say that I can't see how that could be. Unless you're projecting someone else on to me."

It only frustrated the brunette. " Don't psycho-talk me like I'm just another one of your patients."

"You are!" Chloe insists firmly (she doesn't know anymore who she's reminding) and she doesn't miss how Beca winces, "I mean…Beca, I'm sorry if you know me, but we ... only ... _just_ met." she tries saying as gently as she can.

"Liar." Beca seethes, her eyes searches Chloe's desperately, looking deeply, flicking from one to the next trying to confirm or maybe _demand_ the truth.

Chloe tries to answer her staredown confidently. But those eyes seem to burn right into her, confident and knowing.

Beca smiles _smug_ and triumphant when Chloe blinks. She can't help it, what with her emotions running all over the place. Her nerves are beyond frayed under the petite brunette's scrutiny.

"You know you can't shake me that easy. All you have to do is close your eyes and you see me." Beca smirks that now infuriating smirk. Chloe's blood runs hot and cold in her veins, the thundering in her ears grow louder-she feels a bubble of annoyance, of defensiveness show up.

 _She is so infuriating and how dare she presume_ _!_

 _How dare she sound so sure._

 _How dare she act like she really did know well enough to catch her out on a lie._

 _How dare she be weirdly right and be annoyingly smug and patronising-causing another surge of familiarity to run through her._

"I assure you, I'm not lying." Chloe says thinking it's a miracle her voice is perfectly steady, her face betraying no emotion, if only Beca could see her cracking, falling to pieces behind the facade; biting her cheek, nails curling, making imprints upon her palm.

Beca's face flushes. "Why are you doing this?", she tries to get out between gritted teeth, "I've wished for this moment everyday since ... and you're flat out lying to my face. I know we had our problems, but you can't throw away what we had. Chloe, please be honest with yourself."

"As much as I'm glad to see you so responsive, that's enough haranguing from you, Miss Rebecca." Aubrey calmly says, the perfect interruption when Chloe desperately needed interference, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The two straighten up and away from the other not realizing how close a proximity they were arguing in.

"Beca." The two once again chorus. They share a glance but quickly look away from the other.

Aubrey looks curiously between the two.

"Chloe I was hoping you'd be able to get to know Miss _Be-ca_ a lot better, but I must say you once again exceeded my expectations." Aubrey says with a slight smile but Chloe wasn't fooled as the blonde was in her Doctor mode, already accessing everything. Already seeing the change and how she'd be able to use it to her advantage. That's why Aubrey's nickname was "The Shark" she could smell out an opportunity, a bite, when to launch forward and attack, from a mile away.

Fay Fat Amy clears her throat self-consciously to remind everyone that she was still there.

"Yeah, I think I'll let myself out. It's too tame even for my taste. For a second I actually thought there would be a rumble and or a tumble. I'd hoped for one or the other or both. Beca and Chloe would get all blowey. It's a flat out disappointment that we have none of that. Well anyways, I enjoyed it while it lasted but have other things to do. Eat mostly. Call me when you're finished with your business, twig bitches," Amy says with her trademark flourish,

"-and I mean that with the utmost respect boss." she says to Aubrey when she actually remembers the chief being present.

"Always the comic relief." Chloe lamely excuses Fat Amy's actions after she'd fully stepped out the door.

There's a split second where everyone takes a collective breath, there's a poignant pause while the doctors are gauging how best to proceed.

"Beca and I were just going through introductions." Chloe uselessly explains all but to cut at the existing tension.

"I overheard, it was quite the lively conversation before I stepped in …" Aubrey says.

Chloe and Aubrey share a look (over years of friendship they could practically read each other's thoughts) and Aubrey was silently asking if Chloe was okay.

Chloe assured her she was with a slight nod. Though honestly, while she appreciated Aubrey's concern as her friend ... as her boss, it was somewhat mortifying. It wasn't the most ideal of situations to be caught in a shouting match with your patient. Honestly, she felt like she had just gone back in time to her interning days. She'd never let a first meeting get this out of hand before.

"Speaking of introductions." Aubrey continues, "Beca do you remember me, I'm Doctor Posen, I'm the chief here."

"I do, and you know what Chief Posen I can be a hundred percent totally honest in saying that I do remember you; I don't need to hide anything."

It's an obvious dig against her. Chloe barely controls rolling her eyes at Beca's childish behavior. "Beca please." there's a clear warning there behind the desperate plea. Aubrey looks between the two girls again.

"I get the feeling I'm missing out on something. You both were having an intense discussion earlier before I came in pertaining to Doctor Beale. I heard you tell her to "be honest", and here again you accuse her of hiding things. What would she be hiding?"

"Let's just say that we have history that she doesn't find worth mentioning."

Aubrey doesn't let Beca faze her. Chloe can tell that Aubrey has decided to briefly play along, if just to get to the bottom of Beca's sudden fixation.

"Do tell me how is it you know each other; from internship, med school, or earlier -?"

Chloe can't answer for herself, she tried opening her mouth to, but Beca, whose eyes never left the redhead's, answers for them both.

"Much earlier. Back in the olden days when things were simpler." Beca says vaguely, fighting a smile, verging on laughter, the only one in on the apparent joke.

Aubrey cocks her head to the side,

"Okay, that's odd since I've known Chloe, Doctor Beale, practically her whole life."

"Really?" Beca seems thrown by the fact, her smile fades just a bit.

"I moved across the street from her when were like five, I think. We've spent nearly every waking hour together since them."

Beca frowns seemingly confused and uncertain for the first time since she had been led into the office. Chloe can also detect a hint of something else in her suddenly steely blue eyes, something almost resembling jealousy.

"But enough about us. We're here to know more about you. There's a lot we've been meaning to ask. So if you're feeling up to it, can we proceed?" Aubrey says, gesturing for Beca to take a seat on the comfy sofa.

Chloe wishes Beca wouldn't look to her for confirmation. She seems scared all of a sudden, worried. Chloe can't bear it, she lowers her gaze.

Beca takes a seat and for a couple of moments all Chloe can hear is Beca as she moves around, adjusting, trying to get into a comfortable position in the too soft sofa.

She finally decides, sitting down gingerly on the edge of it. Chloe bites her lip **,** amused and enamored against her will.

Aubrey takes the armchair opposite and Chloe sits just by her desk, a couple of steps away.

"You may proceed." Beca finally agrees, sounding uncharacteristically formal. Chloe glances up at Beca's tone and catches the exaggerated serious expression she has on, there's amusement painting her eyes. Their eyes meet and Beca throws a slight smirk and a tilted head in her direction.

Chloe tries desperately to maintain a stoic expression, she just barely controls her blush. Argh. ' _Be professional, Chloe_.' She chants silently to herself.

Aubrey continues unfazed.

"So we've established your first name, and that you prefer being called Beca. Your surname however, we used the placeholder name, Doe. Care to supply your real one?"

Beca gives and easy smile. "It's Mitchell, Beca Mitchell." she says, imitating James Bond. "Rebecca was my mother's name."

Chloe listened intently trying to take note of every answer, primarily for her files of course, but also to finally find out herself what or who Beca was to her.

' _She was named after her Mother. Okay_ , _she had a Mother. Don't be silly, Chloe of course she did_ , everyone does.'

Aubrey starts using her sensitive, empathic voice.

"I see, speaking of your mother, of relatives in general, do they ... does anyone know you're here?" Beca seems slightly taken aback by the question.

"Since we didn't know your full identity we had no way in contacting them." Aubrey unnecessarily explains, "Do you want us to inform anyone?"

Beca still has that slightly amused tilt to her mouth but her eyes are pensive.

"There's no one. I mean, I have no blood relatives here any longer."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Aubrey says sincerely. Aubrey had lost her Mother, Aunt Katherine, when she was fourteen and thirteen to cancer.

"Don't be, I'm used to it." Beca gruffly says.

"Has it been long since you were ... orphaned?"

"It feels like I've lived several lifetimes of loneliness." Beca says her voice rough. Her eyes somewhere far away from the present.

"Thank you for your honesty." Aubrey says reaching out to rub at Beca's back. (It's a gesture to promote comfort, trust). Beca all but jumps away as if electrocuted, nearly falling off the sofa altogether, surprising everyone present.

Beca's eyes are wild, her breathing heavy. After a moment she looks relieved then as if remembering where she was and seeing the other girls silently observing her she offers an explanation.

"Sorry, I don't really do well with touching." she says sheepishly.

' _But she hadn't had a problem tackling_ me _in a hug,_ ' Chloe thought.

Aubrey has her hand still extended. She lowers it then grasps her own hand laying it across her lap.

"I apologise, Beca, I only meant to comfort you."

"It's fine. No harm no foul."

"So Beca, " Aubrey says moving forward with the consultation, "You don't know how glad we are that you're more interactive today, I was wondering about your previous center, Wentworth. Can you tell me a bit more?. You allowed yourself to get checked in for depression."

Aubrey is fully taking point now while Chloe sits and observes.

"Well … I'd been handling myself fine all these years-"

Aubrey raises her hand for a moment,halting Beca before she's even really started.

"Sorry to interrupt, Beca, can I get your age? We don't have that information in our files."

"I'm twenty three years of age and for nearly that length of time I've been living on the run, keeping my head down, keeping to myself and playing it safe." she sighs tiredly like someone who'd recited the same information countless of times.

"Then something changed-" Beca continues, she seems to go through a change herself, her entire aura seeming to brighten, "I met someone, and I wasn't myself anymore. I wasn't _by_ myself, I became so much more with her."

Chloe stills herself not to warm at Beca's words but it's close to impossible.

Chloe's heart is full, heavy and thundering observing Beca like this **,** with her eyes shining, and her grinning widely-she seemed like a different person altogether.

"... I was so unbelievably happy until ... until-" Beca hesitates, taking a quick glance at Chloe.

Chloe nods her head in encouragement, offering a smile for her to continue, wanting, _needing_ to hear more. "-I lost the dearest and most important person in the world to me."

"Who was this, if I may ask?" Aubrey asks softly. Beca looks confused again, and suddenly tired. She looks to Chloe again, staring deep into her eyes. Chloe gulps nervously at the critical way she was being observed (as though she were the patient and not the other way around). Aubrey turns around to look at her as well. Her brows knitted together wondering what was with the silent exchange. She raises a single brow questioning. Chloe all but shrugs, she didn't know either what was going through Beca's mind.

"Beca?" Aubrey prompts.

Beca seems to make up her mind. This time there's a certainty, an almost intimidating determination when she answers.

"Her name is, or was Chloe, she was my girl, my everything ... my whole life." she says looking directly at the redhead, "I lost her once, but never again."

Chloe doesn't realise she's holding her breath, that she's stopped breathing till she started seeing white spots behind her lids.

It's all too much. She's trying to come up with a decent excuse to leave the room, she may just puke full Aubrey-style right now.

"Lost her how?" Aubrey pushes on, steady and sure unlike her pale colleague, gag reflex fully intact.

Beca doesn't seem to be doing too well either.

"She ... disappeared right in front of me." she answers, voice hollow. Chloe can see Beca trembling.

"Disappeared. You mean she left you?" Aubrey clarifies.

"Chloe would _never_ leave me!" Beca's voice cracks,(the emotion swift and sudden) her face twisted up, her eyes filled with fire, with angry tears she refused to shed- fully defiant. She breathes harshly. She brings her trembling fist up to her mouth, biting softly.

"She was taken from me." she says calmly after several seconds of heavy breathing.

Chloe can feel Aubrey's quick gaze over her, she's trying to communicate the urgent need to talk about all of this as soon as they could steal away.

She didn't know how she would explain that to her best friend, colleague, and boss. This was all new to Chloe too.

Okay quick rundown of everything:

Dreamgirl is real

Dreamgirl has a name, and it's Beca

Beca knows her entirely too well because, _apparently_ , they're together. Like a serious kind of together, I mean, if she really was her entire life or something along that line.

That escalated quickly.

If only Chloe could know what else she'd be in for. For some reason she felt like this was just the tip of the crazy iceberg, like she was at the top of the crazy rollercoaster sent to go plummeting full speed.

Aubrey tries bringing Beca back to a lighter, happier topic.

"Do you wanna expound expand? on your Chloe, how did you two meet?"

It works. Beca perks up, smiling once is almost surprised at the extreme shift of mood, if not for knowing mood swings were common with people with similar conditions as Beca.

"It was in a Beatles concert. It was something else alright." she makes a sound almost like a snort, " Sorry it's just ... I swear to god it was the funniest shit ever. In the middle of Eleanor Rigby, Paul nearly fell into the crowd, they would've loved that, he came downstage to be nearer to the fans and he was steadily engaging everyone. It was hella powerful. I wonder at his concentration because at the same time, he was skillfully avoiding the piles of underwear that everyone else had previously thrown on stage. He was getting to the grand finale when-" she stops then, she's trying so hard not to laugh and failing spectacularly snorting ever so often, she looks just about to burst but then she gets a handle of herself.

"-when, out of nowhere there was a pair of flying underwear which landed smack on his face." the three of them burst into laughter at the picture she painted. "He blindly tried to take it off, tripping into this particularly big pile of bras, gets tangled and nearly falls in the process." She continues breathlessly, her face pleasantly flushed.

"Chloe was right there with me, well technically behind me, front and center when it happened. I suspect she may have been the culprit. I said the underwear came out of nowhere, but there was a bit of commotion at the back before it happened I distinctly remember her throwing something, I think I felt the underwear graze me a little. And she definitely cursed under her breath when it all went down." she laughs, light and melodic, easily drawing in the her doctors accompanying laughter.

"I wanted to turn around to tell her off, maybe to scold her of the dangers of pitching her underwear at random strangers, or the benefits of keeping her underwear on or something. Till I turned around and lost all my words. 'I do hope he's alright', she said innocently. We shared quite the laugh after her and I, and in that moment I think I knew I loved her even then.

"Wow. That is quite the first meeting." Aubrey recovers first, still smiling, unable to keep her chiefly persona after that. "I'm surprised people still do that though." she says about throwing underwear.

"You should get out more " Beca says seriously, the three of them laugh again in agreement.

"You'd think Sir Paul's security would've vetoed that." Chloe comments.

"Maybe he likes it." Aubrey suggests not finding it odd at all. In their profession they'd learnt to accept certain bizarre behaviors as prevalent, they hardly batted an eye when it came to fetishes and such.

"You'd think the novelty of having underwear thrown at you would lose its charm." Beca dryly comments. Chloe smiles, charmed.

"So you're a huge fan?" she asks Beca, liking how easy this part was, how light Beca was at the moment.

"I revere their music, it's beautiful. Timeless."

"Do you attend a lot of Beatles concerts? Aubrey presses.

"Did I get swept up in Beatlemania you mean? And yes, I've attended any and all of their gigs."

"I'd hardly use the turn mania now, but sure everyone still loves them. Their songs are definitely part of the classics. And you're talking about tribute concerts?" Aubrey says unable to keep from correcting Beca.

"No. I've gone to their actual concerts from the beginning. Complete fab four and everything."

"With impersonators? I'm not really understanding."

"I was smack in the middle of it all. On the rooftop when the police officers tried to kick them out but let them perform anyway. The one where I met Chloe, it was in one of their last few live concerts. They did tighten security underwearthrowing-wise for the group afterwards."

"How would you know this for sure Beca?" Aubrey asked trying to get to the root of it, though you see her trying, but failing, not to get ruffled by Beca

"Because I was there. I also was there in Abbey Road during their session."

"There being the 1960's, the 70's. How is that even possible, unless you were extremely rounding down your age, I must say, you look remarkably preserved for a 60 year old."

Aubrey quickly realises as soon as she had spoken that she had made a gross error; responding with disbelief and defensiveness.

Beca starts at Aubrey's speech seeming to have remembered herself, "Okay, for a second I forgot where I was. I'm sorry if I'm not making any sense." she says voice flat, eyes dazed. "Remind me, what year is it again?"

"2016?"Aubrey says tentatively,

There's a hitch in Beca's breath and just like that Beca closes up. She turns completely still and falls silent.

Aubrey tries in vain to continue engaging Beca but she seems to have retreated back to the state she'd been before. It saddens Chloe. Just a moment ago she'd seemed completely normal. Chloe reminds herself yet again that Beca needed help regarding her delusions.

Aubrey looks helplessly to Chloe. Appealing for her to step in, to help however she could. Chloe comes close to Beca's too still figure, she comes to rest right in front of her before kneeling down. Her heart clenched at the vacant expression, the empty eyes.

Her hands move to cover Beca's and, the girl starts, Chloe makes to move her hands away but Beca's holds them there. Her eyes come to life and locks onto Chloe's

"Chlo?" she says her voice small, almost childlike needing reassurance.

Chloe can't find it in herself to correct the girl for being too familiar.

"Yes, Ba- Beca." she clears her throat, she had not just been about to call her babe, what was wrong with her. "I'm here."

Aubrey is careful not to make any noise. She had moved away to give Chloe space to kneel by Beca. But now she observed the two at a distance much like Chloe had earlier, it seemed that she needn't have bothered, it was like she was completely out of the room, out of their thoughts altogether.

Beca sniffles eyes trained on Chloe's. "I want to tell you, explain everything but I'm not even sure anymore. It's wrong. It's all wrong." Her hands are sweaty and shaking but Chloe doesn't pull away, only grips tighter.

"Beca, you don't have to tell me if you don't feel ready, but if I can, I want to help ease your mind, relieve you of whatever's bothering you." Chloe winces at her formal words. She rubs comforting circles around Beca's hand with her thumb, inherently knowing it soothed the brunette."Please," she whispers, "let me help you. "

Beca sighs, closed her eyes, seemingly going still and Chloe becomes worried that she'd fall into her tranced state again, but she gives a decided nod, seeming to have made up her mind.

"I don't know how to start."

Chloe smiles lightly, "They say the truth shall set you free, why don't you lead from there."

Beca smiles nervously, "The truth. Well, here it goes then." she laughs shakily. "I can't say I haven't lied ... but not about my age. I was born on the seventh of July, 1992, so yes, twenty three is my real age ... and I can't say anything other than my name and a few other facts, that they're the only thing normal about me, I can't say if I've been completely honest either." she looks to Chloe checking if she was still following, Chloe heard what she'd said but she couldn't fully admit that so far Beca had made little sense, at this point she'd just been rambling. She gives Beca more time to elaborate further. She also opted to move to sit next to Beca since her knees were killing her.

"But you see sometimes half a truth is better than the whole of it because whole truths hurt people, whole truths can be dangerous, whole truths may not sound entirely possible either. But in honor of finally finding ... hope that there's someone out there who favors me in this cruel, twisted world, I'll say it. Even though you won't believe a single word I say, because the absolute truth is I don't belong here, I don't belong anywhere." she says so matter of factly that Chloe feels extreme sorrow.

"I have no rightful place of existence because my body has the capability to float through time and space. At will I can move to whatever point I want, stay for as long I want.

She feels her blood run cold. There's a second where Chloe allows what Beca said to soak in.

"Kind of similar to that Jumper character." Aubrey offers conversationally,

"I don't know who that is." Beca answers.

"You're never watched the movie with Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson? That's where they met and started dating."

"I don't watch movies in general and I don't really follow celebrities that aren't worth following." she says rather harshly.

"So there it is, the reason there's no further record of me anywhere. Because technically, I don _'_ t exist. I'm an abomination of sorts, a glitch in the human system."

"And I don't know how and I don't know why. Believe me I've searched high and low. I've researched it all, wormholes, genetics, alternate universe's, spacetime continuum and there's no answer to it, All I was able to get is it's some chronic impairment of some sort but I did it ... well used to, quite often but now I can't anymore because my body's weak."

"So let me get this straight; you're saying you're a time traveller?"

"That's one name. Time Lord's already taken, unfortunately. Though I quite like _'woman beyond time'_ sounds a bit more ... enthralling."

Chloe glances to Aubrey to share a look, it's brief but the two of them are already in agreement.

 _Beca's case was worse than they feared._

Chloe gaze returns to Beca's whose eyes are slightly narrowed having caught the brief exchange, There's pain at her betrayal and there's now a certain defeat in her demeanor. She looks to Chloe a beat longer, a small barely there smile twitches on her lips. Her eyes are more guarded now.

"Of course. I couldn't prove it to you even if I wanted to so ... I guess it's your choice whether to believe me. Though it's obvious that you don't."

Chloe feels the need to explain. She can't breathe, unused to that cold, detached, smile directed at her.

"Beca, we were just …" Beca shakes her head violently, cutting her off, not wanting to hear it.

"Nevermind alright." she smiles that fake smile posted on her face once more, "I get it, no matter what I say you won't trust anything that you can't see with your own eyes, and no matter what you _feel_ , you'll go with what you know, what's safe." Beca says and those words cut Chloe to the quick. It's a slap, harsh and judging and yet completely true. It's like Beca had in that sentence taken everything that Chloe knew were her weaknesses and forced her to look at them straight in the face.

"And that proves more than anything that no matter the resemblance, you're not my Chloe."

Chloe's still smarting from the insult from earlier and she bites back any sympathy that she feels and faces Beca head on when she says."No, unfortunately I'm not." it tastes like a lie.

Beca nods in acceptance, but her eyes have such a haunted longing that makes Chloe unable to hold her gaze, makes her oddly guilty almost like she'd wanted to be her (her Chloe) just for the sake of removing that pained expression from her pretty face.

"So that's that then." Aubrey says interrupting, approaching the two of them. Chloe is almost annoyed at it. " Thank you for answering our questions. Beca, since we have no previous records for you, if you could just fill up a couple of forms. We're just going step out for a bit while you do so."

Chloe inwardly sighs at Aubrey's more than obvious/less than subtle of an excuse to get away and consult among each other.

"Most likely to discuss how I'm totally, undoubtedly, nutters." Beca deadpans, her lips twitching up slightly. "That I make up people and this ability for attention. You can date it back to my childhood being abandoned by my deadbeat father after my mother died, leaving me in the hands of the system. I needed a way to make myself stand out, to escape from dreary, real life. So I made myself a character, one who could control time, jump from era to era, live out history with the greats and in the process become great as well ...it's what would compete me. I really thought so too, at first, the whole becoming great. Turns out wielding time, you have to be extra careful what or whom you interact with, whoever they may be may be influenced for the better or for the worse ... So, basically I had to avoid any of the real events though I wish I could've stopped 911, market crash, JFK's assassination and plenty of other tragedies. I was there everywhere actually, but it's like I wasn't. I never was supposed to leave mark. I became invisible. I got everything I wanted, I got to witness history but at a price I would never make my own place in it, I'd participate but I'd never fully experience anything."

Chloe is aghast at how lonely the life Beca painted seems. Aubrey doesn't have anything to say to it. She just tells Beca that they'll be back. They let Amy in to watch over her for the time being.

"Hey formerly catatonic Beca. You don't have to worry, you're in cool company now. You and I shall get along nicely."

Beca has a parting shot to the two as they leave the office.

"Call it whatever you like delusion, sickness, escapism ...but it's my truth and I know that it happened."

Chloe and Aubrey are talking in the hallway, discussing Beca's file.

"Beca's file also showed attempted suicide, drug overdose, cutting...whatever happened with this Chloe-like figure she's projecting onto you leaving her ... it really messed her up."

"What's your course of treatment?"

"We need to get to the root of the issues. She used the term herself escapism. Why did she have to escape to different points in time? Plus, we need to learn a lot more about this Chloe character and just digging deeper in general, our files are woefully lacking. We don't know about any educational, or any kind of background. But we have somewhere to start now at also need to stress on more of the social skills training and other behaviorally and solution-oriented therapies. _Ground_ her so to speak in real time.

"So is her little attachment gonna be a problem for her treatment?"

"No, of course not. But in the end medically, she responded to your questions not mine."

"You're the reason she's responded at all."

"All I did was agitate her."

"That's not the way I saw it. You clearly had a connection. Is there anything you wish to tell me before we go any further?" Aubrey asks, looking directly at Chloe.

All Chloe could do was to gaze out of the window at the rain, resting her face on the cool glass watching as her breath fogged it up and then disappeared.

"So, she's yours now?"

She can't say. There were no words. Nothing made sense. Not Beca, not her story, not their inherent familiarity with each other,

"I guess she is."

Not even the feeling of inevitability and faith and second chances soothes Chloe's ache in her heart. She's confused, needs a glass of wine and dig through her box of chocolates she's been saving for a difficult day.

She casts her eyes back towards her office. Beca is looking uncomfortable in Amy's company but desperately trying to act cool. Chloe watched Beca as she tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, tilting her head to the side.

Chloe knew she was her patient now, a client with whom she needed to help but the only real thought on her lips was one she could never utter to Aubrey.

' _She's Mine_.


End file.
